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EXECUTIVE BOARD COVERAGE

Policy on relationships with foreign specialty organizations approved

Posted May 15, 2005

The Executive Board approved the establishment of a Policy Statement on Relationships of Recognized Veterinary Specialty Organizations with Specialty Organizations in Other Parts of the World. The American Board of Veterinary Specialties recommended the statement.

Historically, the AVMA-recognized veterinary specialty organizations have acted as a model for veterinary specialty organizations established outside North America. The foreign organizations have often borrowed procedures from the AVMA-recognized organizations' documents.

The ABVS encourages the organizations to provide this type of support when requested and practical. To avoid an implication of reciprocity, however, the ABVS recommended that the AVMA-recognized organizations inform the foreign specialty organizations to refer to the documents as their own.

The ABVS discourages full reciprocation between the AVMA organizations and the non-North American organizations because of the difference in requirements and standards from one organization to the next. The statement also provides guidelines on reciprocity of parts of a training program, and supervision of training in an AVMA organization-approved program.